The Purpose of Wrackspurts
by VivyPotter
Summary: "Hello Harry Potter," The purpose of Wrackspurts and why Harry Potter doesn't need one. Oneshot. Slight Harry/Luna


Harry sat in silence, gazing out across the lake. It was almost dark and across the water he could just about make out the silhouette of the distant forest; the trees caught in the wind. They swayed back and forth, almost hypnotically.

And then he began to cry.

He cried long and hard, the memories of Sirius… and Cedric… and even poor Quirrel assaulting him. He'd killed them! He'd put his hands on Quirrel's face and felt the flesh burning beneath his fingers, smelt the stench of flesh singeing…

He'd sent Cedric to his death; it was all his fault! If he hadn't been so noble- if he'd only _grabbed the cup_- maybe the Hufflepuff would still be alive, and maybe he wouldn't feel Cho's resentful eyes on him wherever he went.

Sirius' demise was the worst. He was the only father figure he'd ever known. Sirius had cared for him, and treated him like a son. He'd eaten rats for him! And what had Harry done? He'd led him into an obvious trap, too blinded by anger to see straight, and Sirius had died protecting him, and correcting his mistake.

"Hello Harry Potter," came a whimsical voice from behind him. Harry didn't look around, but heard the rustle of clothes as she sat beside him, and he watched the ripples of water that spread from her bare toes as she placed them into the water. Finally he turned to look at her, and he knew he must have looked an awful sight; his face pale and sunken with his eyes red and bagged. But Luna merely tucked a wisp of her white-blond hair behind her ear and smiled brightly at him. "I was bringing you some Plimpy soup, but I met some Aquavirius Maggots on the way and they were awfully peckish." She explained in such a matter of fact way that was pure _Luna_. Harry let out a choked cough and smiled weakly, finding a small amount of comfort in Luna's non-existent creatures. It was nice to know that some things never changed.

"I was sad when my mother died." Luna said suddenly, growing very serious and looking directly into his eyes. "I was utterly distraught. I was the one to find her body, laid out on the floor after the explosion. Daddy was out, delivering the Quibbler, and I came downstairs to ask for a chocolate frog…" she looked away, her grey eyes distant, "And she was just there, my mother, not my mother any more. Because she wasn't, you see, just an empty shell… and there was no mother in her any more. mother was gone. And I was convinced it was all because of me. I'd been calling for her a few moments before, and I knew that was what had distracted her and made it all go BOOM!" she shouted, her voice echoing across the grounds. "I had nightmares of her blue eyes staring at me and telling me I should have done something… that I could have stopped it." Luna's face was the saddest Harry had ever seen it. But then she began to smile softly and she reached out her hand towards something invisible upon the horizon.

"But then the Nargles called to me. They stole my grief and hid it in the mistletoe. That's why I avoid it, you see." she paused and took Harry's hand in her own. "Then the Moon Frogs came, and they drank the tears off my face until I didn't want to cry any more, and the Umgubular Slashkilters sang me the lullabies that mother used to sing to get me to fall asleep." she closed her eyes and sighed, "But then the Wrackspurts carried my mind far, far away and gave it a home in the sky." She looked up and gazed into the cloudless sky. "But I don't think you need a Wrackspurt, Harry Potter, because not everyone does. Not like Daddy did." Luna sighed and gracefully got to her feet. The white light of the moon shone on Luna's face. Her skin seemed to glow, and her hair appeared silvery. She looked so serene and peaceful that Harry wondered if she was a goddess. Then she gazed down upon him and Harry _knew_ she was, for only a celestial being could create the perfect picture of mourning and joy.

"The Crumple-Horned Snorkack gave me courage to face my nightmares, although I haven't seen it since. I don't need it. You became my Crumple-Horned Snorkack, Harry Potter... so you don't need one of those either."

She began to walk away, back towards the castle, leaving Harry alone with his thoughts. However, she hesitated, turning back to look at him one last time with wide grey eyes and whispered secretively;

"But maybe you need a Nargle."


End file.
